Electric connector.



G. A. BURNHAM.

ELECTMC CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I, 1915.

Patented Mar. 12, 1918.:

-. To all whom t't may concern:

GEORGE A. BURNHAM, on sevens, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOZR. T0 sneses B. con'm'r, JR,

- 0F BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC CONNECTOR.

Be it known thatI, GEORGE A. BURNHAM,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Saugus, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Electric Connectors, ofwhlch the v following is a specification.

. bridging-member of the currentcarrying This invention relates to electric connectors of the type adapted for use in manholes,

and similar damp, or wet places. On

count of the condition of connectors used in such places, an operator is exposed to great danger when operating the same to open and close the circuit.

An essential object of this invention is to improve the construction of the connector. so as to minimize the danger to. the 0per-,

ator; also to make a connectorwith a watertight insulating inclosure for the currentcarrying elements, which may be opened and closed easily and quickly, and without danger to the operator; and to arrange the elements so that said member may be removed to disengagethe stationary terminals and open the circuit, when opening the inclosure. 7

The inclosure ranged beneath but close to the underside of ing-member maybe arranged to receive a suitable implement by which they maybe away.

both engaged and removed together.

Figure 1 is a'plan view of an electric connector embodying this invention, a portion of the cover of the outercase being broken Fig. 2 is a similar View, the cover ofthe outer case and the cover of the inclosure being-removed. v

' Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the connector.

Fig. 4 is atransverse vertical section of the connector on the dotted lines t.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view. of the bridging-member, and cover for the insulating in closure. Y

Fig.v 6 is a bottom-plan view of the-bridging member. fragmentary detail of an implement which may be. employed for removing the cover of the inclosure and the 'bridging member. t

' 10 represents the outer box or case, which I may have an insulating cover and the bridging-member may be ar- Specification of Letterslfiatent. Patented Mar, 12, 19118, Application-filed October]., 1915. Serial No. 53,623. 4 V

I may be of iron, and of any suitable shape and dimensions; and 12represents the cover plate therefor. Said box has openings at its ends through which the ends of a cable or. Wire may be extended for engagement with stationary terminals arranged within an. insulating substantially water-tight inclosure which is arranged in said box and which, as here shown, comprises a base-portion and a cover portion. The base-portion consists of the base 15, adapted tobe secured tothe bottom of the box by screws or other means, and having upright side-pieces 16, 16,

arising therefrom, and extending substantially throughout the length of the base 15. The side-pieces are or may be arranged short distances from the longitudinal edges of the base, and may terminate at each end, short thereof; Said cover-portionis adapted to fi't' snugly between the side-pieces 16, and,

as here shown, has vertical projections 22,

- on the exterior of its side-walls for engagement with theguiding recesses- 17, .in the side-pieces. When placed in position on the base-portion an insulatinginclosure is pro duced. This form of insulating inclosure very well illustrates my invention, but it is obvious that other forms comprising complemental parts adapted vforseparation may be,

employed. The insulating inclosure isarrangedlengthwise of the box with the space between its vertical side-pieces in line with the end-holes, and in said space, near the opposite ends thereof, the stationary-terminals for the wires and for the-bridgingmember, are arranged, and the bridging- 1 member is adapted to be arranged in engagement with said terminals, The'stationary terminals each consist of a socketed member 30 to. receive the end of a cable or wire, and a contact or engaging-member comprising a plurality of resilient fingers 32, arranged in'parallel relation, with spaces between them, said fingers rising from a base other to receive the bridging-member.

The bridging-member consists of an in termediate portion 10, and a pair of resilient plates 41, extended outward from each end thereof. Said member may be integrally formed of sheet metal, a blank being employed of suitable shape to form the intermediate portion 40 with side-flanges thereon, and resilient blades 41, arranged as extensions of said flanges. This bridging-meal ber is adapted to be arranged in engagement with the contact-members of the terminals and when so arranged isentirely concealed within the insulating inclosure, but is independent thereof. The intermediate portion of the bridging-member has a 'hole i2 through it, here shown as circular, with small recesses opening out of it at each side, and the cover-portion of the inclosure has in its top wall a correspondingly shaped hole 43 through it, and said bridging-member and cover portion are so related that said holes are arranged in alinement. The holes form engaging portions for the means employed for removing and replacing the bridging-member and cover portion.

A suitable implement is provided, such for instance as a rod or bar 50, having an end-portion of a shape corresponding to the shape of said holes, which may be projected through said holes, and then turned through a short arc, thus to bring its projections 52, out of alinement with the walls of the holes in the cover-portion and bridging-member, so that by a direct pull upward or outward, both the bridging-member and the coverportion will be, removed or replaced. Said implement has a collar 53 to limit its downward or engaging movement, .and when turned it will be observed that the bridging I member and cover-portion are held in assembled position or fixed relation to each other, in'engagement with the implement, in order that they may be removed, or other wise manipulated as one element, although it will be observed that said cover portion and bridging-member may be separately recontact members, and adapted also to be en gaged by means independent of said electric connector whereby it may be removed therefrom.

2. An electric-connector comprising a box having end-walls and a cover, an insulating inclosure arranged there-in comprising a base-portion and a cover-portion, stationary terminals arranged in said inclosure comprising wire-engaging portions and contact-members, and an independent bridging member arranged in said inclosure and adapted to engage said contact members, said cover portion and bridging member having means admitting of their engagement with means independent of said electric conneccomprising wire-engaging portions and contact-members, and an independent bridgingmember arranged for engagement with said a contact-members and having means adapting it to be engaged by means independent of said electric connector, whereby it may be removed therefrom.

a. An electric-connector comprising a box having end-walls and a cover, an insulating inclosure arranged therein comprising a base-portion, and cover-portion, stationary terminals arranged in said inclosure comprising wireengaging portions and contactmembers, a-bridging-member arranged for engagement with said contact-members, said cover-portion and bridging-member having alined holes through them adapted to receive a suitable implement by which they may be removed together.

5. An electric-connector consisting of an insulating inclosure comprising a base-portion and a cover-portion adapted to fit upon said base-portion, stationary terminals comprising wire-engaging portions and contact members, and an independent bridgingmember adapted for engagement with the contact-members, said cover-portion and bridgingmember having engagingmeans adapted to be arranged in alinement,

, 6. An'electric-connector consisting of an insulating inclosure comprising a base-portion and a cover-portion adapted to fit upon said base-portion, stationary terminals comprising wire-engaging portions and contactmembers, and an independent bridgingmember adaptedfor engagement with the contact members, said cover portion and bridgingmember having alined engagingmeans and arranged for simultaneous removal from the base-portion and terminals.

7. An electric-connector consisting of an insulating inclosure comprising a base-portion and a cover-portion adapted to fit upon said base-portion, stationary terminals comprising wire-engaging portions and contact members, and an independent bridgingmember adapted for engagement with the contact-members, said cover-portion and bridgingmember having engaging-means adapted to be arranged in alinement, and means arranged to engage the alined engaging-means of both the cover-portions and the bridging-member to remove and replace them, said means acting to hold said coverportion and bridging-member with their engaging-means in alinement, while in engagement therewith.

8. An electric-connector consisting of an insulating inclosure comprising a base-portion and a cover-portion adapted to fit upon said base-portion, terminals arranged on the base-portion comprising wire-engaging por tions and contact-members, and a bridging member adapted for engagement with the contact-members, said cover-portion and bridgingmember .having. alined holes through them admitting of the engagement therewith of a suitable implement by which they are simultaneously removed.

9. An electric-connector consisting of an insulating inclosure comprising a baseportion and a cover-portion adapted to fit upon said base-portion, terminals arranged on the base-portion comprising wire-engaging portions and contact-members, and a bridging member adapted for engagement with the contact-members, said cover -portion and bridging-member having alined holes through them with side openings, and a bar having an end-portion of a shape corresponding to the shape of said holes, and having a collar above said end-portion, the

spaces between the said collar and the projections on the end-portions being substantially the same as the combined thicknesses of the bridging-member and the cover-por tion.

10. A bridging-member for an electricconnector composed of sheet metal and comprising an intermediate portion with side flanges angularly related thereto and laterally extended blades at the ends of said flanges.

11. An electric connector comprising a box having end-walls and a cover, an insulating' inclosure arranged therein composed of a base-portion and a cover-portion, terminals arranged on the base-portion, and a bridging-member arranged within the inclosure and independent thereof and adaptedto engage said terminals, said cover-portion and bridging-member having means;

admitting of their engagement with means independent of, said electric connector, whereby said cover portion and bridging member are adapted for separate and simultaneous' removal and replacement.

12. An electric-connector comprising a box having end-walls and a cover, an insulating inclosure arranged therein com-,

posed of a base-portion and a cover-portion,

terminals arranged on the base-portion, anda bridging-member adapted to engage said terminals, said cover-portion and bridgingmemberbeing adapted for simultaneous removal, and an implement adapted to engage both the cover-portion and bridging-member to simultaneously remove and replace them, and while in engagement therewith to hold them in permanently related position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribin witnesses.

GE RGE A. BURNHAM. Witnesses:

A. W. CALDER, B. H. Ass. 

